This is your SolarWakeup for September 15th, 2014
Let's step up the content. Could be on my end or could be that we are about to enter the 4th quarter but it has been increasingly difficult to fill the rundown. I see that the headlines aren't drawing you in either, as you are clicking on fewer than average. So in that light, tell me what you want to hear more of. More global news? More EV? More storage? Let me know!
News
1 Think Progress:
Push To Impose Extra Fees On Solar Draws Outrage In WI
2 NY Times:
Sun and Wind Alter Global Landscape, Leaving Utilities Behind
3 Grist:
This green Tea Party star is fighting for solar
4 Motley Fool:
Solar-Powered Products May Soon Be Hitting Stores Near You
5 PV Magazine:
Xcel Energy opens tender for 200 MW of projects in Texas
6 CleanTechnica:
Solar Farms Popular With UK Farmers
7 Renew Economy:
EVs could double grid storage capacity – at zero cost
8 AZ Central:
Solar power an issue for commission candidates
Opinions:
9 RE World:
Trapped in the Down Elevator? A New Perspective on Net Metering
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 SolarWakeup:
Wall Street and Main Street Voted. Clean Energy Won.
2 Solar Power World:
How Will The Expiration Of The ITC Affect Solar Construction?
3 University Herald:
University of California System Makes Largest Solar Purchase in US
4 Seeking Alpha:
Residential Solar Is Growing Up
5 San Diego U-T:
Solar incentives reward west-facing panels
6 RE World:
A Deep Dive into the Value of Solar and the Future of Solar Energy
7 RenewEconomy:
Solar parity with wholesale market
8 Delaware Online:
Motech's Newark solar facility has closed, official says
9 Forbes:
Solar Continues Trumping Fossil Fuel Pricing, With More Innovations To Come
10 Energy Collective:
Energy Facts
The Top 10 is ranked by the number of SolarWakeup.com readers that clicked on the news article during the previous week. It is the poll of the most relevant solar news of the week as judged by your colleagues and competitors.
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 12th, 2014
I was passed an investment analyst’s note about the pending Vivint Solar IPO. It was mostly positive but pointed out (in comparing to SolarCity) that Vivint Solar did not engage in government affairs. Interestingly, the S-1 filing mentions on multiple occasion the regulatory and policy risk faced by the solar company but did not discuss the fact that Vivint Solar currently did not actively pursue public policy. Only interesting for now as I do not think retail and institutional investors see the correlation but certainly VSLR’s competitors have actively engaged in policy.
News
1 Forbes :
Solar Continues Trumping Fossil Fuel Pricing, With More Innovations
3 Breaking Energy:
Morgan Stanley Bullish On Storage
4 PV Solar Report:
The Minimum Bill
6 Think Progress:
The U.S. Added More New Capacity For Solar Than For Natural Gas In The First Half Of 2014
7 CleanTechnica:
China Top-And-Tailing Crystalline Silicon Solar PV Chain
8 Forbes:
Intelligent Generation
Opinions:
9 Energy Collective:
Be Prepared - For a LOT More Solar by 2025
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 11th, 2014
As congress comes back to work, I mean comes back to Washington, we are reminded that solar and clean energy has created an incredible economic impact. All the while, having to fight political sentiment and State regulators that are in many parts in the pockets of those that would rather not see solar win. I can’t agree enough with our special contributor, Jonathan Silver’s, point of view that Wall Street and Main Street have voted. Clean Energy Won. Read the article here.
News
1 SolarWakeup:
Wall Street and Main Street Voted. Clean Energy Won
2 Breaking Energy:
Utility-Scale Solar Rolls On, Driving US Growth; Is a Shift to Distributed Likely?
3 Solar Chat:
20 Tips to Ace Your SPI ’14 Investment
4 IREC:
Prestigious Solar Training Accreditation Awarded to IBEW Wireman Programs
5 RE World:
Solar for All
6 Energy Collective:
On Distributed Generation, the Answer is Location, Location, Location
7 PV Magazine:
Italian net metering expanded up to 500 kW
8 Syracuse:
Can solar energy work in snowy Syracuse? Yes, with lots of taxpayer help
Opinions:
9 RE World:
A Constructive Critique of Sunrun’s New Animated Ad Campaigns
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 10th, 2014
Over the past few weeks, we have been working to increase our Facebook presence. Through a series of organic and sponsored posts, we have brought the SolarWakeup fan base on Facebook to over 1,600 ‘likes’. The exciting part is the dialogue between fans that we are seeing since many are simply solar fans as opposed to already working in the solar industry. We even had two fans discussing solar job opportunities following our recent IPO story.
News
1 University Herald:
University of California System Makes Largest Solar Purchase
2 PV-Tech:
China’s c-Si dominance unaffected by trade wars
3 Seeking Alpha:
Residential Solar Is Growing Up
4 Roanoke Times:
Appalachian Power's proposed fee targets users of solar panels
5 CleanTechnica:
Solar Council Launches New Ad To Save Australian RET
6 Energy Collective:
Mexico's New Power Industry Law
7 EDF:
New York Electricity Market Should Allow Third Parties to Compete
8 RE World:
A Deep Dive into the Value of Solar and the Future of Solar Energy
Opinions:
9 Solar Power World:
How Will The Expiration Of The ITC Affect Solar Construction?
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 9th, 2014
Interacting with SolarWakeup readers is the best part of doing the newsletter. So let’s try a solar community caption contest. Yesterday, Wisconsin utility We Energies was called out by the Sewage management agency that a solar fee would cause a budget gap and therefore increasing costs to users. So to get you started, here is the first caption for you, send us your best attempt!
News
1 Delaware Online:
Motech's Newark solar facility has closed, official says
2 RE World:
Sharp Putting Solar Developer Recurrent Energy Up for Sale, Again
3 Haaretz:
Israeli solar startup, Solaredge, eyeing $100m IPO
4 PV Magazine:
US, China hold close to 50% of global PV pipeline
5 RenewEconomy:
Graph of the Day
6 Energy Collective:
With New Law, South Carolina Sets a Foundation for More Solar
7 CleanTechnica:
NCES 7.0 Summary (Full Speeches From Clinton & Reid)
8 Seattle Times:
California basking in record amount of electricity from solar
Opinions:
9 HuffPost:
Promoting President Obama's Clean Energy Economy
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 8th, 2014
The second quarter Solar Market Insight is out with an impressive 1,133MW of new solar in the quarter. A departure from what we have seen on year over year numbers is the increase of utility scale solar. It appears to be based on the fact that utility scale solar investors are comfortable with solar and no longer charge the solar premium. Projects like Austin and other solar RFPs are bringing the ultra large solar projects to under 6-8cents per kWh.
News
1 UT San Diego:
Solar incentives reward west-facing panels
2 PV Magazine:
Global investment creating perfect storm for growing markets
3 Journal Sentinel:
We Energies' push for fixed charges would hurt
4 RE World:
US Solar Industry Continues Rapid Growth
5 PV Tech:
SolarCity business model could flourish in China
6 CleanTechnica:
India Moves Forward With Solar Net Metering & Solar Leasing
7 Energy Collective:
EIA Says Residential Electricity Prices are Rising
8 Breaking Energy:
Training Veterans for Careers in Clean Energy
Opinions:
9 EDF:
Understanding What PG&E’s Electricity Rate Changes Mean for Solar PV
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 Forbes:
Solar Energy Revolution
2 Motley Fool:
Corporate America Is Betting Big on Solar Energy
3 Newsday:
Yes, solar is booming, but ...
4 CleanTechnica:
No Solar Panel Supply Shortage Coming
5 MSNBC:
Hillary Clinton’s hard choices on energy
6 REWorld:
The Inevitability of Solar
7 Energy Collective:
Will US Utilities Offer an Electricity Triple Play?
8 Scientific American:
Solar Becomes a ‘Default’ Generation Resource
9 Yahoo:
Florida power utilities fear return of ‘Green Governor' Crist
10 Breaking Energy:
Energy Quote of the Day
The Top 10 is ranked by the number of SolarWakeup.com readers that clicked on the news article during the previous week. It is the poll of the most relevant solar news of the week as judged by your colleagues and competitors.
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 5th, 2014
Today’s news are filled with solar politics, which seems to be the season for it. Much like our push for ITC extension, it is important to look at the numbers behind our industry to understand what is going on. For example, in 2012 the cost of the ITC was around $3 Billion. We have yet to see the cost impact for 2013 but agree that it will be higher but far less than what politicos make it seem to be. We also look at the Vivint IPO filing and give you all of the numbers you need to know about the company. Some great insight for everyone.
News
1 SolarWakeup:
All The Numbers Of The Vivint Solar IPO You Need To Know
2 Breaking Energy:
Energy Quote of the Day
3 Bloomberg:
China Policy Spurs Rooftop Solar in World’s Top Market
4 CleanTechnica:
Saudi Arabia Solar Jumps On Diesel-Killer Bandwagon
5 PV Magazine:
Activ Solar rejects Crimean government claims
6 MSNBC:
Hillary Clinton’s hard choices on energy
7 PV-Tech:
Brazil presidential race is solar opportunity
8 Fox:
Solar firms, Hawaii Electric blame each other for delays in connecting solar
Opinions:
9 CleanTechnica:
Utilities Scared of “Green Governor” Crist Returning in Florida
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 4th, 2014
Content matters, that is what I tell many of the readers that email me a piece that wasn't featured in the SolarWakeup rundown. Writing an article is a great first step, but spending the time writing it and then adding self promoting content is a waste of time. Don't sell yourself in an article other than establishing that you know what you are talking about, and definitely don't sell yourself by getting the facts wrong. That will backfire in a big way because not only did the article go to waste but someone is going to call you out about your mistakes.
News
1 Solar Power World:
New Solar Fire Regs Discussion Heats Up
2 NY Times:
Interest in Solar Water Heating Spreads Globally
3 Reuters:
German utilities eye solar leasing to help turnaround
4 PV Magazine:
European Council ups 2030 renewables target to 30%
5 Bloomberg:
Delhi Plans to Spur Rooftop Solar With U.S.-Style Policy
6 MW Energy:
Despite lack of deployment, solar tech thrives in Michigan
7 Energy Collective:
Will US Utilities Offer an Electricity Triple Play?
8 Solar Industry:
As Coal Dims, Solar Will Catch Fire... Eventually
Opinions:
9 Paula Mints:
The Inevitability of Solar
Have a great day!
Yann
